AMERICAN ASH: SOUTHERN PRODUCTION: H
Being faster grown, Southern production has wider sap rings and is overall lighter in weight. There is also the tendency for glass worm/silver fly to appear in the grain. Southern production has an overall whiter colour compared to Northern stock.

Production: S/E, S/E PTW, DIM.

Both Northern and Southern productions are in the main Crown Cut.

Fraxinus americana
Family: Oleaceae

Commercial names: White Ash, Brown Ash.

Distribution: USA & Canada.

General description: Creamy white to a light brown heartwood with wide white sapwood. Generally straight grained but mainly crown cut with a coarse but even texture. Has a pronounced grain pattern similar to Oak and is often stained as a substitute. Weighs around 660 kg/m3 (41lb/ft3); specific gravity 0.66.

Mechanical properties: Wood bending properties are variable, but generally very good, although not tolerant of pin knots in steam bending. The wood has good strength, elasticity, toughness, stiffness and hardness qualities allied to its relatively light weight. Excellent shock resistance. Terms such as “tough”, “soft” and “medium” texture are used to indicate the source of origin. Generally tough Ash is more brown and grows in the Northern/ Appalachian regions. The soft/medium textured timber is whiter and creamier in colour and grows predominantly in the Southern States.

Seasoning: The timber dries fairly rapidly with little degrade and small movement in service. Working properties: There is a moderate blunting effect on tools, but can be worked satisfactorily with both hand and machine tools. Pre-boring is necessary when nailing the harder species. It glues, stains and polishes well.

Durability: Ash is non-durable and perishable. The sapwood is liable to attack by powder post and the common furniture beetle; the heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment; the sapwood is permeable.

Uses: The tough Northern Ash is famous for sports Ash and is used for all types of sports equipment. Both tough Northern and the softer Southern predominantly whiter stock, have now become very popular for interior joinery, shopfitting and furniture.

Note: White Ash includes a number of species ( F.americana, F.pennsylvanica, F.quadrangulata) but does not necessarily signify colour. If a particular colour is desired the buyer should make the preference known to the supplier, by specifying a percentage of each piece that must be of the desired colour. The standard N.H.L.A. grading rules for Ash do not make any distinction for colour.

JBT Comments: Our American White Ash is selected for whiteness, unlike much of the timber at present being imported into the U.K., which has a high percentage of brown heart similar to that found in Native Ash. Please bear this in mind when making price comparisons.

JBT Colour Grading: Northern production; selected for whiteness on one face with approximately 40% of the boards white on both faces. However some boards may show a small percentage of colour on both faces. Mid to Southern production; selected for whiteness on one face with 60% of the boards white on both faces. It should be noted that more colour is apparent in the wider and thicker stock. Obtaining good quality stock of a wide specification which is consistently white on two faces is now nearly impossible to find. However we feel the stock we offer is the finest which is commercially available.

Certification: We have established a supply of American White Ash which is produced from well managed forests, independently certified in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council A.C. All our Certified Timber is processed through our Chains of Custody which are audited by BM TRADA Certification.

Grade: Export grade 80% FAS, 20% FAS IF or better with No 1 common grade available in 1in thickness.

Specification: Square edge; 8ft and longer, 5ins and wider allowing up to 10% 6ft/7ft and/or 4ins.

We also offer in 1in thickness only:
Clear white shorts, 4ft to 6ft long (allowing up to 10% 3ft long) 3ins and wider. No. 1 common, 6ft and longer, 4ins and wider.

Stockholding: 4,000 cubic feet in kiln dried stock: 1in to 4ins thickness.